1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linking information making device, a linking information making method, a recording medium having recorded a linking information making program, and a document processing system therewith. More particularly, it relates to a linking information making device, a linking information making method, a recording medium having recorded a linking information making program, and a document processing system therewith, which are preferable for use in a workflow system constructing a workflow involving electronic processing of paper documents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, a workflow system in which paper documents and electronic information are used in a mixed manner is proposed. The workflow system comprises: a scanner; a facsimile machine; a copying machine; or, a multiple function device into which the above scanner and machines are incorporated; a personal computer; a mail server, and the like, which are connected to each other through a network. Especially, efficient processing and electronic processing of paper documents has been executed by introduction of the workflow system in office environments.
The workflow system has been developed, assuming that the system is generally used in offices, for example, for approvals and circulars. That is, the workflow system has been developed by changing existing business systems based on paper documents into electronic systems. Thereby, it is difficult to change the workflow, or to customize the workflow according to individual conditions after the workflow system is developed.
Accordingly, such an inflexible workflow system requires approximately similar costs and development time as those for development of a new system when business procedures are changed or new services are required.
Also, there has been a problem that the whole workflow system does not work well when a part of service processing devices constructing the workflow system breaks down. And, in many cases, it is difficult to find another service processing device, which can be used instead of the broken service processing device, in the workflow system.
Recently, a technology by which Web applications existing on a network are linked with each other has been proposed. Then, it has been required to reduce development costs by providing on-demand services through use of these Web applications as a part of services in the workflow as required.
Conventional workflow systems have predetermined services only to make a workflow. Also, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-99686, JP-A Nos. 2001-325389, and 2001-195295, a workflow system in which a person involved in the workflow may be added or changed has been already proposed.
However, these workflow systems have had a problem that it is impossible to add a service to a workflow or to change a service in the flow as services, which are provided by the flow, themselves are inflexible.